Granby's Green Acres 50-07-17 (3) "Granby Discovers Electricity"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Date: January 10, 2026
Original Air Date: July 17, 1950
Series: Granby's Green Acres
Episode Title: "Granby Discovers Electricity"

Episode Overview

This episode of Granby's Green Acres, presented by Harold's Old Time Radio, transports listeners to a simpler time on the farm as John Granby, a stubborn but well-meaning city transplant, contends with his family's desire for modern conveniences—specifically, electricity. The story humorously explores Granby's resistance, the family's persistent (and witty) pleas, and his eventual concession, all delivered with classic sitcom-style banter and situational gags characteristic of Golden Age radio.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. Opening Scene: The Battery Problem

• Setting: Granby farmhouse, quiet Sunday afternoon.
• Conflict Introduced: John Granby tries to listen to a baseball game on a weak portable radio battery while his daughter Janice and wife Martha chime in.
  • Notable Quote:
    Janice: "Oh, I'll write you a letter." [02:31]
    John: "Janice, I won't stand for that disrespect." [02:32]
• Comic Banter: Classic misunderstandings and playful sarcasm as John tries to follow the game.
  • John: "Which twin has the Tony? Who cares? Who's got the Tony? Which team's got the score?" [03:37]

2. The Push for Electricity

• Main Family Debate: Radio battery dies right at a crucial moment in the game, prompting Martha and Janice to urge John to install electricity.
  • Martha: "If you weren't so stubborn about putting in electricity, you wouldn't have to depend on a battery." [07:23]
  • John: "We're not going to put any improvements into this farm until we can afford it." [07:28]
  • Martha: "Electricity would make Mother's work a lot easier. Why, we've got half the barn piled up with electrical appliances that we brought from the city...and what good are they?” [08:42]
• Running Gag: John continually justifies the lack of electricity, while the family points out its necessity for work and comfort.

3. The Dilemma: Cow vs. Electricity

• Ultimatum: Martha demands John choose between selling the cow to afford electricity or having her leave.
  • Martha: "Either that cow goes or I go." [10:40]
  • John (flustered): "Why, selling that cow would be like selling your mother...Well, what I meant was..." [10:14]
• Humorous Logic: John values both the cow and family traditions, complicating a straightforward solution.

4. Consulting the Neighbor: Mr. Kimball

• Meet Mr. Kimball: Granby visits the eccentric neighbor to propose selling the cow and discovers Kimball’s farm is fully electrified.
  • Kimball (about his memory): "I never forget a name, Mister. It's my hobby. Been a bill in my memory for years." [16:44]
  • Kimball demonstrates: Milking machines and other modern conveniences run by electricity.
  • John: "I'm going to put electricity in my farm and that's why I came over to..." [17:58]
• Comedic Mishaps: John fumbles with Kimball’s electric milking machine and gets confused by simple directions—highlighting his city roots.

5. DIY Wiring (with Predictable Hiccups)

• Granby’s Attempt: Instead of selling the cow, John buys a milking machine and electrical supplies, deciding to wire the house himself.
  • Janice (dryly): “I just want to keep the motor warmed up so I can make a fast getaway when I have to get the doctor.” [20:53]
  • Martha: "Dad, you could have paid an electrician to do the wiring if you'd sold the cow and not bought that milking machine." [20:07]
  • John (confidently): "With this book, any moron can do it, so why can't I?" [20:40]
  • Martha: "Yes, but you didn't for five months." (referring to a previous accident with the TV antenna) [21:21]
• Physical Comedy: John gets the milking machine’s nozzles stuck on his fingers while “practicing” for the cow.

6. The Power Company Arrives – and the Bill Shocks Granby

• Electric Company Connects: Power lines are installed, but the charge is a hefty $147.
  • Power Company Rep: "95ft of cable at a dollar a foot plus labor." [25:17]
  • John (refusing): "Take it on the poles. Tear off the line." [25:56]
  • Family’s Realization: There are no alternatives; they must pay or be left powerless.

7. Compromise (with a Touch of Barter)

• Resolution: John finally relents. He borrows the money from Kimball and uses the family’s electrical appliances as collateral.
  • John: "I borrowed it from Mr. Kimball." [29:01]
  • Martha: "Collateral? What have we got that Mr. Kimball would take as collateral?" [29:06]
  • John: "A washing machine, a dishwasher and an iron." [29:11]
• Happy Ending: Family gets their electricity, retains the cow, and humor returns to the household.
  • Martha (gratefully): "Oh, John, we're just lucky that Mr. Kimball is such a nice man." [30:08]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Comic Parental Banter:
  Martha: "If the cow is so sensitive, why don't you use Jurgen's lotion?"
  John: "For your information, I did." [09:13]

• Memorable Gag:
  John (about trying to milk the cow):
  "You ain't going to get any milk from there."
  "Why not?"
  "That's your cow bell." [12:07]

• Classic Rural vs. Modern Tension:
  John: "Electricity is just what we need. And when we got ours, things are going to be a lot easier around here." [19:08]

• On DIY Confidence:
  John: “With this book, any moron can do it, so why can't I?” [20:40]
  Janice: “If you're so handy, why do you need a milking machine?” [20:17]

• Resolution & Good-Natured Irony:
  John: "We’ve got our electricity, we still have the cow, and there’s your washing machine." [30:05]

Important Timestamps

• 00:31–01:59: Opening setup; the Granby family dynamic & John's stubbornness
• 03:05–06:57: Baseball game confusion and dead battery moment
• 07:23–10:50: First major electricity argument; Martha's ultimatum
• 16:44–19:19: Visit to Mr. Kimball’s farm; the allure of electricity and modern farming
• 20:04–21:43: DIY home wiring plans and comic mishaps
• 25:17–26:34: Power company installation and the costly bill confrontation
• 28:28–30:11: Emotional resolution, barter with Mr. Kimball, and reclaiming modern conveniences
• 30:11–31:00: Light-hearted family reunion and final gags

Tone & Style

Warm, witty, and quintessentially mid-20th-century American, with rapid-fire banter, self-deprecating humor, and gentle satire about rural life and modernization. The family’s love, despite the teasing and disagreements, shines throughout, while John’s stubbornness is gently lampooned by his sharp-witted wife and daughter.

Conclusion

“Granby Discovers Electricity” is a comedic snapshot of a family’s adjustment to country life and their negotiation between tradition and progress. Through mishaps, negotiations, and stubborn pride, the Granbys ultimately embrace modernization—with a little help from their eccentric neighbor and a stroke of lucky barter. Listeners are treated to a classic slice of radio sitcom history, full of warmth, gentle satire, and unforgettable comic exchanges.